The prior art is replete with a plurality of devices for diluting and dispensing concentrated chemicals for consumer, commercial, and industrial applications. These devices have in common the purpose of using the economies of distributing chemicals in concentrated form and then diluting and dispensing the chemicals at the customer's location. The chemicals can be distributed in bottles of various shapes and sizes. In some situations, the chemicals are distributed in bottles which directly mate with the dispensing device. In other instances, the chemicals are delivered in bottles and then must be transferred at the application site to a bottle which mates with the dispensing device. These dispensing devices, by way of example only, are used for dispensing cleaners, disinfectants, waxes, fertilizers, weed killers, and the like.
For such devices, and in particular for industrial and commercial devices and systems, it is highly economically advantageous to be able to ship and distribute chemicals in very high concentrations. Such high concentrations, however, can be poisonous, and personnel contacting or using such materials must exercise care when handling containers of such concentrated materials. Thus, user safety becomes an important issue with respect to such dispensing devices and systems. Ideally, a dispensing head would attach to a bottle of concentrated chemical, which bottle is otherwise initially completely enclosed and sealed. The bottle seals should be opened only when said bottle comes into communication with the dispensing head. In such a system the concentrated chemicals could not be spilled from or leak from the bottle. Further, the dispensing head needs to be designed in such a manner that the concentrated chemicals cannot be dispensed by themselves, but only in a solution of concentrated chemicals and a diluting fluid such as water.
Prior systems include bottles with dispensing ports and venting ports. However, the operation of these ports is often not coordinated well and there remains the possibility that fluids can be dispensed inadvertently from these ports.
Another safety issue is the proper disposal of a spent bottle. If the bottle is to be disposed of either through recycling the raw materials or through a landfill, it is important that the dispensing head remove and dispense as much of the concentrated chemicals as possible leaving little or no concentrated chemicals in the bottle.
In addition to the above, the prior art lacks any method or system for accounting for and tracking the amount and type of concentrated chemicals that are being dispensed in order to monitor the efficient use of the concentrated chemicals.